Turtle News 2009

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0418dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B>Summer 2009</B></div> <div> <B>Carolina Beach has been very busy with 13 nests laid this year.  </B></div> <div> <B>Twelve Loggerheads and one Leatherback. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Read about nest #12.  The final nest hatching of the year ended in November.  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>** Hatchlings Stolen **</B></div> <div> <B>On Ocean Isle Beach there where 83 hatchlings were stolen from a nest on a remote stretch of beach. Several of you have asked how you can help. See below for a plea from </B></div> <div> <B>Gloria Hillenburg, the Coordinator from Ocean Isle. Hopefully a sizeable reward fund will spur someone to turn in the sick individual(s) who were responsible for this.</B></div> <div> <B>Ocean Isle Beach SeaTurtle Patrol is setting up a fund for the prosecution of the person that vandalized our turtle nest taking 83 babies....If anyone is interested..please donate what you can...to Ocean Isle Turtle Patrol...P.O. Box 5172 Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. reward fund</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0428dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Art Studio B </B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Art Studio B "><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id138.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Turtle News 2010"><U>Turtle News 2010</U></A>   |   <B>Turtle News 2009</B>   |   <A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Turtle News 2008"><U>Turtle News 2008</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Turtle News 2008 Page 2"><U>Turtle News 2008 Page 2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id134.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2009 Turtle Standings"><U>2009 Turtle Standings</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0428dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Turtle News 2009</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="665" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#669933" BORDERCOLORDARK="#33CC00" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div>   <A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nests 5 (Leatherback) 6 7"><U>Nests #5 (Leatherback) & - #6 - #7</U></A>                    <A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nest 8 thru 11"><U>Nest #8 thru #11</U></A>                   <A HREF="id137.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nest 12 thru 13"><U>Nest #12 thru- #13</U></A>  </div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="672" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#669933" BORDERCOLORDARK="#33CC33" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 364 WIDTH="660"><bR> <div> June 6th <B>   Nest #1</B></div> <bR> <div> Nest 1 was found CB police officer at 12:30 AM. Nest 1's nest parents along with PIST Coordinator Nancy were able to get down there in time to see the mama turtle waddle back into the sea. From the size of the tracks, it appeared that it might have been the same turtle that visited us the evening before. This time, in a warn summer rain, she laid 148 eggs which were relocated to higher ground.  They finishing up around 2:30AM. </div> <bR> <div> Nest #1 hatched the night of Aug. 1st.  Just after 7 PM a nice boil of approximately 67 turtles emerged.  This was after one lone slightly misshapen lead turtle popped out around 5:00 AM. (Ironically, when the nest parents did patrol that morning, someone approached them with a turtle that they found on the beach..it was the same crazy looking baby!!  It was re-released.)  2 more turtles emerged just after 10:00 PM.  With 80+- eggs known to still be in the nest.   Volunteers will sit the nest tonight. </div> <bR> <div> On Aug. 3rd.  5 more babies emerged just after 9:00 PM, and 3 more later on in the evening. This is still only just over half the nest, so we are wondering what we will find inside! </div> <bR> <div> When excavated the contents of the nest is counted, information recorded and sent to the state.  Live babies are released into the sea.</div> <bR> <div> Results for the excavation of Nest #1:  86 hatched, 51 unhatched, 7 live (one still covered in yolk & taken home for the night) and a record crowd of 200 people!  </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 296 WIDTH="660"><bR> <div> <B>June 25th.</B> <B>Nest #2</B></div> <bR> <div> It was a long and busy night in Carolina Beach that began at 1:00 am with the discovery of tracks by two of our very own volunteers.  Nest moms and PIST Coordinator Nancy joined the boys, who found the tracks, for a two hour dig that yielded no eggs. Disappointed by the false crawl, they returned home just to be summoned by the boys again...they found more tracks! The turtle had obviously returned and laid a nest while they were digging in her previous effort! This poor mom weaved her way through rocks and someone's front yard to lay her nest. 137 healthy eggs were relocated as the sun was coming up....a beautiful experience for all.</div> <bR> <div>  Aug, 20th. Nest #2 hatched just befor dark with a picture-perfect boil of more than 100 turtles.   A few more turtles trickled out throughout the evening to be greeted by their excited nest moms.  </div> <bR> <div> Excavate of Nest #2 had three live babies.  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Neal Dorow's video of the nest 2 hatch....You can see it on UTube at </B></div> <div> <B>Calolina Beach, NC Sea Turtle Nest #2, 2009</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="665" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#669933" BORDERCOLORDARK="#33CC00" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 195 WIDTH="364"><div> <B>June, 27th. </B><B>  False Crawl</B></div> <bR> <div> Morning Patrollers found this set of tracks. (What you see are the tracks the mama left when she returned to the water. The set from when she arrived is to the left, out of the picture). This mama kicked up some sand, but did not leave any eggs,  hopefully she will visit again tonight!<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="4f1fcbd0.png" border=0 width="252" height="189" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 396 WIDTH="364"><div> <B>July 1   </B><B> Nest #3</B></div> <bR> <div>  At about 4 AM our volunteer Joey, came across one of the strangest setups ever...a chair on the beach holding a pink posterboard sign saying "sea turtle layed here" .  Surrounding the chair were about a dozen fence posts stuck into the sand, and underneath the chair there were two larger posts in the shape of a cross. One short, faint, set of tracks was barely visible. Fearing a hoax, Joey and Nancy decided to poke around in the sand a bit anyway. They started in the center of the cross...and there were the eggs!!!  With the nest parents' help and they relocated 135 eggs to a safer spot and left a note and my phone number on the sign. </div> <bR> <div> The good folks who left the sign up called Nancy later.  It was a few members of a large family who have been visiting Carolina Beach for 25 years. They were thrilled to happen on the mama turtle on the beach, and not knowing who to call, did all they could to make sure the nest was found. They will be returning next summer, and now know what to do.</div> <bR> <div> On Aug 26th.  Nest #3 hatched just after 1 AM.  Stan, Karen and Judy were still there, and aided by CB Police Officers, the turtles sailed smoothly into the water<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >.  </FONT>On checking the nest</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="282"><bR> <div> <IMG SRC="4f5f4c30.jpg" border=0 width="244" height="195" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> "Chair on top of nest with sign."</div> <bR> <div> in the morning, Karen did not find any more stray tracks, so any remaining babies stayed in the nest, another good thing. Of course, getting a count was impossible but estimates on the size of the pack ranged from 50-100 turtles.</div> <bR> <div> When escuvated 8 live turtles were found in Nest #3.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="674" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#669933" BORDERCOLORDARK="#33CC99" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 196 WIDTH="662"><div> <B>July 7th.   </B><B> Nest # 4</B></div> <bR> <div> A Carolina Beach Police Officer  was patrolling the beach after the storm last night, and just had a feeling that he would see a turtle. (Turtles love storms)  Well, he was right!  The officer came along just as the mama was getting started, at about 1:00 AM.  Nancy & nest parents got down there in time to see the nest get laid. This mama picked a good spot-this is the first nest this season that we didn't have to move. Afterward.  Later that night the CB Officer  found a false crawl at Freeman Park, it looked to be the same turtle.  </div> <bR> <div> Aug. 31st.    Nest #4 cracked open and hatched with no depression or warning whatsoever!  A  good-sized group of volunteers were able to safely guide the 87 babies into the water.  </div> <bR> <div> There were no baby turtles found in this nest when excuvated.  (All eggs laid hatched)</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="592" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 30 WIDTH="586"><div> <I><B>Note: All artwork featured on this site is copyrighted </B></I><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#800080" FACE="Helvetica" ><I>©</I></FONT><I><B> by </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Barbara E. Allinson unless otherwise noted.</B></I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 95 WIDTH="586"><div> <I> <script language=JavaScript>  </script>         </I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id132_m.htm" TITLE="Turtle News 2009"><U><IMG SRC="13d44440.png" border=0 width="68" height="68" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><U>Top</U></FONT></div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table><script type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><img src="http://www.artstudiob.com/cgi-bin/sitestats.gif?p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artstudiob.com%2Fid132.htm;r=-;t=8647;" width=1 height=1 alt="sitestats"></noscript> </body>